It was done on the fly, just sticking together pieces of cardboard from old certificate protector envelopes (will use thick stuff next time or double) with gaffar tape i had (£1.34 - need to check pound stores as B&Q want £7-8) as I saw what was needed. Had seen some made on youtube. I have seen lovely white leather with brown interior leather one on amazon for £17 and I would buy this if I wasn't worried about security - although I could place it in my envelope idea below which would keep it clean too. Maybe I will but for now am mad about not getting the Black Friday apple discount (could have save extra £26) so making cover makes up for this and is also a little more satisfying.
Will make some changes after seeing real ones in stores. I don't want mine to look like an ipad for security reasons. This one looks like an old paper notebook when closed. All the following changes may not be done for some time as the current one works very well.
will add covering bit to hold ipad in when the cover is open and used as stand, instead of the elastic bands - the ones i have seen are sewn on with elastic on the sides in a few places so as not to cover buttons.
will add fastener to keep cover closed instead of the elastic.
will add flaps top and bottom so ipad can stand in same two angles in portrait view without having to take ipad out of cover and turn it to stand
will add flaps/something at top and bottom so ipad can't be seen at all - will be great if i can make these look like the top and bottom of book pages.
Make parts imoveable when closed so magnet doesn't turn ipad off and on accidentally
I will make pretty fabric one based on same design.
I am working on on my original idea an old padded envelope for Oz. Battered and uninteresting. (see last pic)
I will make pretty one using book making processes, using pretty fabrics but based on the same flaps ideas. Still look like a book of pretty box rather than an ipad.
I may make a leather (have lots of leather and old leather skirts and bags etc) one if i can again make it look like a book
The full cover open, showing centre section, back section with 3 sections, and front section with 3 sections - i just kept adding section and dividing them as seemed necessary. Luckily it just develped organically and I didn't have to change much. I didn't cut neat straight sides or worry about bumps in tape as it was only a test. I would have been more careful if I had known it was going to turn out to be so useful.
Standing tall with bottom/back section folding in 3. This will also be good angle for life drawing class on table - last week i took footstool and lap cushion with the lower angle set on ipad cover as i sat on a chair, as i din't realise class had mini tables. This worked as well.
Standing flatter with top/front section folded in 3. I use this the most. At this angle I am able to touch type - need more practice. This is also good for resting on knees while watching TV in the lazyboy chair with legs up - my usual usage place.
Cover closed with magnet section folded back so it doesn't accidently turn on ipad - to avoid this the cover would have to be more immovable.
Magnet section in operation keeping ipad turned off - only use it like this on table not in hand bag where parts would move and turn it off and on all day.
Magnet from old fridge picture stuck on top/outside of cover with yet more gaffar ape.
Magnet touching ipad - ipad off.
Magnet lifted away from ipad - ipad on.
This was my first go and I had put magnet on it. Good disguise. I was going to coat in clear PVA to keep it clean. I may use same idea on old envelope or book pages or covers. I may use this envelope purely to hide ipad, may rejoin the side so it is envelope again.
Turns photos into pen & sketches. May be useful as base for further work, especially building scenes. Has
basic slide control of how much detail to be included - see St Pauls 2
pics - more and less detail. Its not Photoshop or Illustrator Trace but
more the level you get on camera affects.
When I stay in Travelodge or Premier Inn hotels I find there is not enough table space or chairs when John is with me (and believe me the less we are on top of each other the less we argue). So, I wanted to take a couple of my camping items - fold-up director's chair, small fold up table for eating and computer and white tray with base for for breakfast food items.
I had a great cheap but strong wheely from Ikea (I bought for moving biggish loads - wasn't sure what but it looked useful). I made the bag section big enough to take my air conditioner should I ever end up in hotel in summer with no A/C. I was meant to avoid stares at bringing in furniture past the reception desk but I think I've failed on that point.
I was hoping to fit in my electric cooler box but though it fits, it just makes the whole thing look too big so that will go in separate plastic wheel box that fits it perfectly (not sure i will take it as depends on weather - i have small normal cool box for a couple of drink cans which may be enough this time as it's mainly for breakfast milk/butter, juice and cold drinks - I prefer to keep my money/stomache space for nice lunches and dinners in seaside restaurants and just have a light breakfast - I don't like the hotel breakfasts - £8 for too much food and I'm not paying that for a coffee and toast.)
It looks crazy but I had the plastic coated fabric tablecloth material I'd bought from John Lewis about 6 years ago and wanted to use it. I may eventually make a black one if I find it works ok.
When I heard that my quilter artist friend, Kim was going to get rid of an quilt she made purely for experimenting with technique I rushed in with beggar bowl in hand of course. It arrived today by mail and I love it. I have put it in a temporary frame until I get a new white one with mount - I will then replace the picture below. It makes one realise that quilting takes so much work and patience. If you paint or draw and don't like something then often you've only lost a few hours or days. Quilting takes so much more.
Kim was going to throw this out. Now having been able to have a closeup look, I know I would never have the patience. There is so much work. Even the backing looks great. I know quilts are suppose to be hung but I think it will look great in its new frame with proper mounting. Love the fallen logs - very Hockney.
I've been following these designers this year as they develop this pen and now it's about to be released. Interestingly in their FAQ on compatibility, they mention the mini ipad? What do they know? Surely they needed to be in contact with Apple for future compatibility?
There is something interesting about this artist talking about his pieces. I might go take a look at the work. Something haunting about it. Will see if this is so when I see it.
Yes I am one of over 3 million people in the UK hooked on the paralympics. Yes it's exciting sport (not usually interested in sport), more exciting than the Olmpics perhaps, and more interesting because there are sports and abilities you've just never seen before. Though some disabled people like to own the term 'disability', it really feels time now for a new term for this group of athletes who, let's face it, can do much much more than most of us will ever be able to do. Of course, with fit athletes like this to look at, it's not all about the sport.
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius running - how many Golds this time - it's really hotting up - in all senses.
Oscars' hobby outside sport - looking gorgeous
Mickey Bushell
21 year old Mickey Bushell winning Gold a few days ago - and more to come.
Mickey more gorgeous while bathing in glory.
Just imagine him on a magazine cover after he's had the QG/Pistorius/Becham stylist treatment.
Jon-Allan Butterworth
Cyclist John-Allan Butterworth. The gorgeous eyes were always there but the cycling has helped him get those chiseled features, having lost a lot of weight in the last few years.
Butterworth working for his 3 Silvers. He only started cycling less than 4 years ago.
If you were wondering how he lost part of his arms - that's him centre back - says it all. There have been some great stories of how athletes got to the olympics and part of that story is how their so called disability originated.
Channel 4 the Olympic Broadcaster
And I love the irreverrent post daily events show on Channel 4, Adam Hills Last Leg, hosted by Australian comedian Adam Hills (himself with a prosthesis foot) who along with other disabled and non disabled comedians, athletes and celebrities take the piss out disability, look at the triumps and taking questions from online tweeters in the segment - 'Is it alright to .....' - and let me tell you these tweets really push the boundaries. They showed a pic 4 year old girl
with her leg in a cardboard tube - not a crack at disability, but
because she wanted to look like her hero runner from the games. A knitted doll of Hills with his missing foot is on ebay and Hills has been following it on the show - it started off at a few pounds and is now over £10k - money going to charity.
Australian comedian/presenter - presenting Channel 4's nightly 'The Last Leg'
Channel 4s promotional campaign (BBC did the Olympics and Channel 4 is the Paraolympics channel) is the their biggest campain since they opened. It's amazing. Funky, sexy and is helping change the concept of disability. They will definately win awards. Unfortunately, this morning they showed the world press rooms in the Olympic grounds and most of them had left after the Olympics, even NBC. It is now suppossed they must be kicking themselves as the popularity of the games is growing like crazy here. It's increasing slowly and much smaller elsewhere but this is partly because people haven't been given a chance to see it.
Not everyone loves the superhuman tag but most do.
On TV and billboards all over London - thought this was a great tag - placing the Olympics as a warmup - and the Paralympics are becoming more popular than the Olympics.
Ellie Simmons
Swimmer, Ellie Simmonds has been the poster girl for the GB team. There was a worry that the huge picture of her overlooking the Olympic park, might put too much pressure on her but she has 2 Golds and going for another tonight.
Videos of the campain
Videos of the sexy channel 4 campaign from Youtube:
Love the music in the first one especially, by Public Enemy - funky, sexy, goes perfectly with the great editing.
I don't often go to the Whitechapel Gallery - it's a bit out there for
me - but I still get its enewsletter to possibly educate/inspire me - beside the Artists' Book Fair
coming up later this month, this piece caught my eye as I like a
bit of humour in art - yes, no doubt it's all post modern existential
alienation etc. but I just let that flow freely over my head.
Collection Sandretto Re Rebaudengo: Maurizio Cattelan: Bidibidobidiboo (1996), 'after the fairy godmother’s song in Disney’s Cinderella, encapsulates Cattelan’s acerbic wit and his melancholic worldview.'
Soctt Easton has designed this lovely quirky ipad docking station. His site shows his beautiful drawings and the design process. It's nice to see the crossover between art and design.
Gives me ideas to make plaster/paper mache one - curled up cat with reading glasses or maybe wo/man's butt cheeks?
I've been online exploring the mass of art spaces in Hackney. I think the space on the station is a great way to catch footfall and give commuters something interesting to do while waiting for their late train.
Must go to bookshop to look into this book - sounds interesting. Will update this post then.
Around £22.
The Blurb
This groundbreaking book establishes Post-Digital Printmaking as a
distinct area of printmaking practice both technically and conceptually.
Radically different from digital print production (inkjet on
high-quality paper), Post-Digital Printmaking integrates Computer
Numeric Control (CNC) devices such as laser cutters and CNC routers with
matrix production for lithography, intaglio and relief. This
contemporary practice incorporates the strengths of both digital and
traditional, resulting in hybrid printmaking techniques.
A
comprehensive and accessible technical introduction to this important
area of printmaking, this book explains techniques and processes in
detail, discusses the contexts within which Post-Digital Printmaking has
arisen, and includes examples and case studies of artists applying
these hybrid techniques in their work.
Finally tried it. Sliced 2 bananas, froze for a few hours then put into food processor with a little honey. Had to stop about 6 times to push frozen banana down. After a while it turns lighter colour and fluffier with hardly any bits - the more processing the better. Serve straight away. I only used a tiny bit of honey - to get the mixture going in the processor more than anything but it could do with less or none, taste wise. Now going to try and add other frozen fruit to the banana mix. Great desert to make at the last minute for guests - especially if you always have frozen banana slices in the freezer at all times for use in smoothies.
Banana icecream - bananas and nothing but the bananas. I know it looks like it has lumps but that's just the way I moved it up with the spoon - by the time I had looked at photo properly on my desktop, I had eaten it all.
I am changing my car in a few months probably from Qashqai to Qashqai +2 - 8" longer, and not sure what colour to get.
Scarily I have been starting to like whitecars. I hate white van man, white boy racers and those big white party stretch-limousines. So why do am I starting to like them. Since I am Mrs average (not cutting edge - if I like it then most people are getting one or it's at least availabe for sale.) I thought I should investigate what's happening with white cars.
I had wondered if it was the white iPod thing - i will definitely go for a white ipad (as well as loving everything white in my house).
I had already try to investigate whether lighter colour cars would be cooler - thus using less petrol on air conditioning and show less dust than the black one (black looks more sophisticated but is also more hot) - and yes I was correct
apparently white went out after the 80s. It's coming back and nearly overtaking black. It's partly called the 'Apple Effect' and partly because of the above practical reasons. However it's also because of a disgusting reality TV show about Essex young people who just love flash white cars - no I don't watch it.
My problem is that even though I might like the new white cars because of Apple, my love of white and the practical reasons (well yes I also can't resist bling sometimes), will I look like an old lady fan of the reality show - in a flash Essex girl's car (am I spiritually Essex - I'm obviously Essexist). Will John look like a gangster and keep getting pulled over. Will kids not be able to resist the nice white surface to draw on? Will it be more likely to be nicked?
Apparently the colour of your car says something about your personality - grey and silver boring or is a company car. Red is sporty obviously - most people too scared to have one. Black is the most popular colour and white is about to overtake it.
Here is the sensible 'cafe late' ( cool late' or boring beige) colour of my current car.
My current colour - light enough and was the most popular colour for Qashqai - the one time I went understated.
I popped into Nissan yesterday to take pics of other colours and noticed they had just got in a new lot of their very cute Micras in - all in white.
The latest lot of Micras - all white
The Qashqai in white
Grey is ok
There are 2 reds - this is the brighter one. Quite like both.
Black looks good but needs more chrome to look sophisticated. It gets hot.
